The Dominica Social Security (DSS) has rolled out a number of initiatives in an effort to make its programs more accessible to the general public.
During a presentation ceremony on Tuesday to a number of charity organizations, executive director of the DSS, Janice Jean-Jacques Thomas, said the initiatives will “redound to the mutual benefit of the DSS and respective stakeholders.”
One of the new initiatives was designed for Dominicans living overseas which will take effect next year.
“The improvements in the provisions for voluntary coverage which are to take effect in 2014 whereby Dominican nationals who are resident overseas will be able to apply for voluntary contributor status once there is no reciprocal arrangements between the DSS and their country of residence and they will be able to do so at anytime whether or not they would have worked in Dominica previously,” she explained.
Jean-Jacques Thomas said the DSS has implemented a facility where contributions can be submitted electronically.
“The implementation of the e-submit facility will allow employers to submit their contribution details to the DSS office electronically,” she stated, “a feature which will allow for more speedy updating of employee contribution records and thus expedite the processing of benefit claims.”
She said the distribution of certificate of life forms at DSS’ office and at credit unions where pensioners go to access their pension payments, is another new feature implemented by the organization.
Meanwhile Jean-Jacques Thomas has sent a strong message to employers who fail to submit their employees’ contribution to the DSS, saying they are committing a criminal offense.
“They are in fact committing a criminal offense because remember part of it is deducted from the employee’s earnings,” she said. “When they fail to pay or when they fail to report the contribution, they are affecting their employees negatively and so I would like to send out a call to all employers to make sure that they are in compliance with DSS by making regular payments before the due date.”
Recently a local bakery was fined over $28,000 for failing to make contributions to the DSS over a number of years.
I hope you all will be raising the dues as it is too exorbitant already, do not put money into the election like the last time and then we the working people have to pay more and pension at an older age, think of other way like safe investments not like the one made some years ago…watching and listening
You should ensure that those who go to the RED clinic pay their Social security since this this the main form of employment on the island.
Social Security have too much sticky hands. Even when they are caught, they pay little or nothing back. They should really go to jail. They are out living a carefree life while hard working people get nothing. Shame on these people. There is a God above, they are going to get old one day and they are going to suffer. God don’t sleep, and I hope when thing going bad with them, they will remember the fraud they committed when they were in charge with people life and money.
I am a Canadian/American I got all my benefits in Canada, cause when I work, the government deduct all kind of tax, from our pay cheque , but never mind in get it back every month, every 3 quarter of the plus our tax, plus free medical, medication, retirement home, community living for seniors, single mothers, booing with money every 20 the of each month, free class for anything pulse osap Ontario student loan I became a citizen then I apply for my loan, I went to York university, obtain my BA I am a teacher, at Carlton village school for 5 year, Ow I am only 30yrs old , when I am 65 its retirement for me, I am coming to da to retire, my monthly retirement cheque is going to be 3000. Canadian a month, plus my old age pension, rrsp, the employer deducted from our pay cheque to pay our government so they owe us our money, it a must we have to get that , so good luck and hold that bitch in her dares crutche and throw her in Roseau river , taking about stake holders
Tell me where u getting de free medication in Canada, because if u doh have company benefits, you have to pay. Retirement home, community living, you have to be worse than a dog to qualify..de damn system in Canada so punitive and harsh, doh make it sound like is a bon temps. You guys must tell the truth, high cost of living and nothing for free…
you need to educate yourself.Do you know that American go to Canada to buy their medication or to visit the doctor.Benefits in Canada is better than the USA.
DA that like that you re so on point here.
The surest ways to stay out of poverty is jobs jobs and more jobs. That means that if we wish to fight poverty, we must end corruption , implement policies for economic growth; allow people to become independent ; grow the productive mechanism . We must protect capital investment and give people the opportunity to start new businesses. We must reform our failed government school system to encourage competition and choice.
We must encourage the poor to aspire as oppose to anticipate the Red clinic session
. It is important to provide assistance to those in need however a welfare program without a growth support system is useless and in fact a poverty mill.
There is the ” who feels it know it ” factor and if at the end of the month there is not enough money to pay the bills and eat much less disposable income then poverty is what it is and the harsh reality is that this is a growing dilemma.
The need to abolish the DSS and let people save there own money, it is highway robbery u never get back what u pay in.
“Janice Jean-Jacques Thomas, said the initiatives will “redound to the mutual benefit of the DSS and respective stakeholders.”
Something seems to be wrong with Dominicans, some people talk so much crap that a single word in what they say most of the time renders a whole conversation useless! A single word derails their conversation.
What is this lady talking about when she said “DSS and stake holders?”
In a nation social system, except perhaps Dominica; there are no, and should not be any “stakeholders” since the word stakeholders simply means ” a person entrusted with the stakes of bettors: in other words when people gamble and they stake their money on something, the total amount of money is held by someone trusted until the results are in and someone wins, they get all that is in the pot, we find that in illegal gambling.
The people of Dominica who contributes into the social security system are not considered gamblers, what I do know is that the social security money they put into Marpin, a failing entity should not be used for that purpose; unless they have already recovered hat money, we can count it lost!
Social Security is defined as a program of public provision through social insurance, or assistance for the economic security, and social welfare of the individual, and their family. Such a program was established in the United States in 1935 to include old-age, and survivors insurance, contributions to state unemployment insurance, and old-age assistance.
Social security has nothing to do with charity; it is an entitlement in the developed world, even to those who never contributed into it. I would however, encourage ever Dominican farmers and all to contribute into the system, so that whatever they benefit from it will not be considered a favor, or charity from any government.
Charity?
Government does not make charity; charity is a benevolent goodwill toward, or love of humanity, or shall we say generosity, and helpfulness to a needy or suffering person. There seems to be a misunderstanding of the word Social Security in our country, I would like to suggest that someone do an in-depth study of the long operating social security system in Europe, and North America to get an understanding of how the system is set up, and works.
Such a study cold be used to make changes to our system, and assists in the development of a better working system from which every Dominican shall benefit when they become ill, and can no longer function, or when they get to retirement age.
This charity and welfare thing she is talking about is simply political, trying to give some political mileage to some political party, or politicians: Don’t play politics with it.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Seriously? A stakeholder just means anyone who has an interest in the matter: as in Dominicans residing overseas. Stop complicating a simple matter..
If that is your definition of the word stakeholder, perhaps you need to return to kindergarten, and ask your teacher to give you the definition of the word.
I do not wish to embarrass you so I leave it at that and will allow you to make a fool of yourself!
I any event the context in which she used the word is wrong; as I said in the past the English language is the hardest to be spoken and interpret, this is one of such cases.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/stakeholder?q=stakeholder
Definition of stakeholder in English
stakeholder
Pronunciation: /ˈsteɪkhəʊldə/
noun
1(in gambling) an independent party with whom each of those who make a wager deposits the money or counters wagered.
2a person with an interest or concern in something, especially a business.
[as modifier] denoting a type of organization or system in which all the members or participants are seen as having an interest in its success:a stakeholder economy
Please note definition 2a which is what is appropriate. The definition you give is only appropriate in gambling. If you do not believe me please check your dictionary. You should have done this before you replied me.
You use the out of context definition and I should be embarrassed? I’m sure you’re a grown man. You should be ashamed. MALAPROP! (you can look up that one too)
I think you too smart for your own good it is making you foolish.
If your DSS was anything like UK SS system I can see the point of it’s existence. I still have to pay sky high doctors fees, even higher fees for medication that don’t prove useful. When I went on maternity leave I never got anything even when my employer kept paying and has never missed a payment. I still don’t get what you are really doing with the money we pay you
Its a criminal offence for employers not to remit contributions but how many of these are punished for taking employees money and not paying DSS for them? I just found out that my employer missed four payments for the year and only got to know because they could not process my sick claim because of that. Why am I being punished when i allowed them, to take my $$ from my salary in good faith that they would be honest and pay Social Security. I think the DSS need to get serious with these employers because for 2 months now I am not able to receive sick benefit. Social Security needs to fight for the ppl that keep it running.